How are we gonna do w/out our waterheater?

[Nan]

Hi, first timer here hope someone can help!!!

well we decided to remodel our bathroom(first timeDIY's) which also is our laundry room with the hot water heater, the problem is in order to repair and tile floor,where the washer and dryer and water heater sits we will have to move them out for a period of time. The floor in that area need some extra prep for tile work, we have moved the washer and dryer out (into livingroom ) I can deal with that but were not sure how to temporaly relocate the water heater?? it is a 50 gal directvent gas heater which is vented now to the outside , we really don't have too many options we are a family of four teen and preteen who will want showers as do we, back to what we think may be our only options
1. move it a couple feet to another part of the bathroom while we work on and finish that part of tiling, which means rerouting pipes, gas pipes and vents
2.move it outside right on the other side of that wall which feels like a whole lot of trouble, pilot light staying lit stability of outside ground to name a couple.

we're at a loss needless to say this has not been our first obstacle but i think the biggest!!!!

any advise ASAP would be greatly appreciated!!!

 

[hj]

wh

Outside would make the most sense. The pilot should not be a problem and you would put a concrete paving block under it to negate the unsteady ground. In this area the heater would have to be a "sealed combustion" type with both air intake and exhaust going through the wall before it could be placed in a bathroom.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Jimbo]

I have seen a similar situation, where the WH was simply left where it was. The floor was tiled but an area approx 2' x 2' was left untiled under the WH. The area was trimmed out with some moulding.

 

[King3244]

Suspend it from the ceiling joists while you work underneath. The biggest problem is going to be the direct venting. You can connect the gas with a flexible connector during the repairs. You probably only need it up about 6 inches.

 

[Nan]

thanks for the advise

thanks for the info
nan

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

that I want a picture of

If you actually suspend this heater from the ceiling, please send me a picture.. Lets see a 50 gallon water heater weighing 150lbs plus about 400 lbs of water....around 550+ in weight.....That I really want to see.

if the floor needs to be repaired underneath the heater, you are just out of luck for a few days . or at least untill youi get the plywood back down, then re install the heater on the fresh plywood and simply tile up to it..


go to a hotel if hot water is gonig to be that much of a in-convienance, or go to a neighbors for a day or two. Usually they wont mind. Try the YMCA

Or simply take a sponge bath like probably more than half the planet does,, it makes you humble and more appreciative of what you have..

but whatever you do, do not hang that heater from the ceiling..

 

[hj]

wh

years ago, we did some houses where the homeowners elected to finish the buildings after the contractor erected the shells. The contractor "did a number" on them, but that's a different story. Anyway, the people had to move in before completion, forget about occupancy permits, and hung sheets on the stud walls for rooms and built frames to support the sinks. The basements were overexcavated and neither the fill or concrete was in place at that time. So we hung the water heaters and the concrete laundry trays from the joists until they could pour the floors. It worked out okay for the most part until one Sunday when one of the houses had a leaking water heater. The homeowner must have done his own electical and bonded a ground to the hot water side. The water heater, after the jacket was removed, looked like it had been shot with a "rust machine gun". When he poured the concrete floor he poured the water heater legs about an inch ito the concrete so it was a major job to remove. The house was piped with galvanized and no matter how I rotated the heater, one of its legs would fall into one of the holes where the old heater had set.

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

Plumbing MEMORIES TO TREASURE IN YOUR OLD AGE

Thats one of those stories you tell your grandchildren , if they follow down the plumbing path. Its absolutley amazing the things you see people do ...

its also amazing to me by going out into the public every day,

how some people live in absolute total ungodly filth too,

and think nothing of it.

I have walked into homes and almost passed out from the smell and filth before.

I have seen things that could only be described as TALL TALES

no one would actually believe the story except maybe another plumbing service man.

someone ought to start a thread,,,

bizzare stories about plumbing...

the guy that has the best true story wins a "golden toilet seat"

 

[King3244]

Master Plumber Mark, I guess you have never seen a couple or three guys weighing well over 200 lbs each doing ceiling insulation. 550 lbs will be well supported by the ceiling trusses.
I have seen a big block chevy engine including transmission hanging off of ONE ceiling joist.
It will work.........do you want to leave it there for a month....no!
If you are really concerned about the weight go up in the attic and put a 4x4 across 3 or 4 joists, then you could leave it there forever.

 

[hj]

mess

Amen on the pig sties. Had a stopped up toilet one time. When I went into the house clothing was piled 2 feet high all through the house, even on the chairs and couch. They had pathways cleared through it. The toilet had not flushed for days if not weeks even though it was still being used. I checked the toilet very carefully and found a crack in the base. I told them it had to be replaced and then called back to the shop and had my wife's uncle come out and change it. He said he had never seen such a " boar's nest" in his whole life.

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

whatever works , I guess

I really dont care how they install a water heater for just a few days use.



Better yet, for safety sake, instead of hanging it off the floor from the trusses,

they could run garden hoses for the water and a copper line for the gas and put the thing outside in the back yard or on the driveway too..... then wouldent have to worry about the vent either!!

Also it sure would be safer than having the thing hanging off the floor and jsut waiting to injure someone working underneath or nearby it.....

Just dont hit it with a car when they back out.

all I said is I would like a picture of the "abortion" for my scrap book.
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I certanly would not get involved in that mess if paid to, because its a no-win situation from the start.

My insurance company would literally "freak ouit" if I were stupid enough to get involved in hanging that heater inside the house..

Also

Dont forget this old saying when you get YOUR PANTS SUED OFF.........

You were the PROFESSIONAL who should have said "no" and we are only the CONSUMER...

We hired you to do the job right.....and even though this might be what we wanted , but we are only the poor stupid CONSUMER that didnt know any better.....,

YOU ARE THE PROFESSIONAL THAT SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER!!

thats a very dark day when someone throws this back in your face....

 

[hj]

litigation

I assume this is the homeowner doing the work, so there is no "suing" going to happen, and there is some Supreme Being who watches over people doing stupid things in their own houses. But of course hanging it should not even be one of the options considered by any contractor doing this job.

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

you are right

you are absolutley right about your theory.. the supreme being and all

I think that their are "guardian angels"

that protect and watch over the home owners that do these incredible things...

If I did the same thing, I can almost feel the fires of hell just licking at my

feet,,, and a pitch fork getting ready to jab me in the ass,

cause I know that somehow, someday I am gonna pay for that

transgression dearly.

karma, I guess.

 

[Jimbo]

Well, in all the discussion we have had here, this job could have been done and over.

Back in my navy days, I remember more than one patrol where the evaporator would be down for several days; no hot OR cold water for bathing, cold meals off paper plates. Get over it!

Spring a couple of bucks, take the family to Motel 6 for a couple of nights and get the job done!